1. Field of the Invention
Bottom Discharge Hopper Seal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hoppers having downwardly and inwardly tapering bottom portions that define discharge openings are commonly mounted on wheel supported chassis for the transportation of granular materials. The discharge openings are normally closed by horizontal slide plates that act as gates to control the discharge of granular material from the hoppers when the gates are moved from closed to open or partially opened positions. Certain granular material such as rice, when stored or transported in hoppers of the above-described structure, are adversely affected from moisture or water that may pass from the ambient atmosphere to the interior of the hopper through spaces between the hoppers and the gate.
A major object of the present invention is to provide a resilient device that may be removably supported from the interior of a hopper and depend downwardly through the discharge opening therein to slidably contact the upper surface of the gate and effect an air-tight seal therewith.
Another object of the invention is to supply a resilient device that includes a horizontal web in which an opening is formed through which the granular material discharges when the gate is moved from a first closed position to any one of a number of second positions, with the web during discharge of granular material through the opening therein bowing downwardly due to the weight of granular material situated above the web, but the bowed web being returned to a horizontal position when the gate moves from any one of the second positions to a first position.